Market with huge potential
Few markets have the same potential for growth as the market for alarms and security services. Despite the fact that the use of alarms has become increasingly common in recent years, only around 2 per cent of Europe´s 210 million homes are protected by any form of alarm.
Securitas Direct is a provider of monitored alarm systems to consumers and small and medium-sized businesses. For more than 20 years, our principle market has been in Europe where we currently run operations in Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. We have also been operating in Chile since 2009.
Low market penetration
The markets in both Europe and the USA are, for the most part, under-developed and offer significant potential for growth. The market in Europe consists of approximately 210 million private homes and 30 million small businesses. At the end of 2010, there were between 4 and 5 million professionally monitored alarm systems installed in the residential segment, corresponding to market penetration of 2 per cent (based on the number of households). The degree of penetration for homes is estimated at 5.5 per cent.
Improved services
Compared with the more mature American market, alarm penetration in Europe is low, which means that there is still a great deal of potential for growth. At a rough estimate, 15-20 per cent of all homes in the USA have some form of security system and approximately 10 per cent have a monitored alarm system. In Europe, market penetration varies significantly from one country to another as well as in terms of residential and business segments.
Market penetration in the residential segment (single family dwellings) is highest in Norway (13 per cent) and Sweden (7 per cent). In Spain the figure is approximately 3 per cent while it is somewhat lower in France (2 per cent) and Portugal (1 per cent).
The use of alarm systems in small businesses is becoming increasingly more common. In certain areas, market penetration among small businesses is in the region of 80 per cent.
